Mahadev Govind Ranade and the National Social Conference: A Study of Social Reform in Colonial India

Abstract The late nineteenth century in India was an era of both political awakening and social ferment. Prominent to this transition was Mahadev Govind Ranade (1842–1901)—a jurist, intellectual, educationalist, economist, politician and above all, a social reformer. While his public career extended across law, economics, and politics, his most enduring contribution to Indian society was the relentless campaign for social reform. His legacy lies in shaping the pathway of pan-Indian social reform. National Social Conference was the most significant organisation that significantly catered the needs of an all India level institution dedicated purely for social change in colonial India. The birth of the National Social Conference was the result of relentless efforts of Ranade in organisational social reforms. The organisation was clearly a reflection of Ranade’s intellect and his social sphere experience. He was an organizer and the mainstay of the all-India social reform movement during the last two decades of the 19th century. This paper aims to highlight Ranade’s vision, leadership, and achievements especially lensed through the National Social Conference. It further tries to locate the National Social Conference within the broader history of nineteenth-century social reform, examines its objectives and activities, and assesses the dominant role of Ranade as the guiding spirit behind its success and functioning. The paper also tries to emphasize the imprint and influence that Ranade and the National Social Conference laid down in the social history of India. It also tries to enhance the contribution of National Social Conference in social reforms which was contemporary with the political reforms undertaken by Indian National Congress.